Crossings offer a perfect opportunity to prepare for the season ahead
Atlantic crossings are a key part of yachting life. For chefs, these long stretches at sea are an invaluable opportunity to step back from the intense demands of guest service and focus on preparation, organization and creativity in the galley. With five Atlantic crossings under my belt, I always loved them for the chance they offer to reset, get ahead and tick off essential tasks before the next busy season begins.
One of the biggest advantages is the uninterrupted time to prep and plan properly. Without guests on board, you can finally get stuck into tasks that are usually sidelined. Deep cleaning the galley, reorganizing dry stores and updating inventories are all essential jobs that set the tone for the season ahead. It’s also the perfect time to get busy with freezer prep — portioning proteins, vacuum-packing sauces, making stocks and preparing freezer meals for guests and crew. Using crossings to make batches of Pacojet ice creams, getting a variety of flavors ready to go, is also great.
Weather permitting, crossings give you the time and opportunity to experiment with new recipes, refine your menus and try out dishes you’ve been thinking about all season but never had the time to create, as well as spoil the crew with bakes and comforting foods.
Chef Michelle Bonetti of Rocinante: “Before a crossing, I like to prepare by planning menus. It’s also always helpful having some prep ready in case you need it in rough weather. On a previous yacht, the bridge team requested Australian meat pies to freeze and reheat during night watches — they loved it! Having a clear plan before the crossing helps, as rough weather can impact productivity. Crossings are a great time to write menus for upcoming trips and start time-consuming tasks that freeze or keep well, such as pastry, dumplings, breads and sauces. I try to start trips with most of my desserts prepped, and as long as the scales are scaling properly, it’s a great thing to do on a crossing. A great piece of equipment every yacht should have is a marine scale. They are fairly big, but if your yacht travels a lot, it’s worth it so you can weigh accurately underway.”
Chef Imre Erdélyi of Ultra G:“My key tasks for long crossings include creating menus for the upcoming season, deep cleaning stores (freezer, fridge, dry store, etc.), catching up on paperwork; preparing the essentials for the season and freezer prep for crew and guests, including sauces, meat, fish, pastry and crew birthday cakes. Freezer prep is so important before the season — with good prep, we can save so much time.”
Ultimately, crossings are what you make of them. Whether it’s batch-cooking, reorganizing stores or simply taking a moment to breathe, they’re a gift of precious time. Plan well, use the time wisely and you’ll arrive at your destination refreshed, prepped and ready to hit the ground running.